Broken Hearts, Starting Over
by Only Sarah
Summary: The memories come flooding back as you look at him. You just want things to go back to the way they were, but he broke your heart, and that's not something you can forget. ChaseZoey [RENAMED]
1. Memories and Heartache

**A/N: Sorry that Chase is OCC, but I wanted to show you how much he's changed since his high school days. If that bugs you, let me know. Review if you want me to update. I have another chapter finished but I'm only posting if you guys want me to.**

Disclaimer: If the Zoey 101 creators had a fanfiction account, I'm sure it would be cooler than this one. So no, I don't own anything.

Italics are past events.

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><p>"Zoey?"<p>

Your heart nearly stops as you hear your name being called in an all too familiar voice. It has literally been years since you've spoken, neither of you attempting to reconnect as the thought just brings back those painful memories that you've been trying so incredibly hard to forget.

"Chase. How, um, nice to see you again."

You try to smile, but as you look into those piercing green eyes, you just remember the fighting, the arguments. The lack of trust. How their seemingly perfect relationship managed to crumble, to fall to pieces because of no particular reason. They just fell apart.

_You stand on your front porch, tears streaming down your face. He came to visit you in California for the last two weeks of the summer. Tomorrow, he leaves for NYU, while you are headed to Stanford. No more Pacific Coast Academy. No more late night grape wars. No more sushi rox dates, or just sitting by the fountain talking. You haven't accepted that this is the reality. You've grown up, and now it's time to move on._

_ "I'm going to miss you so much. I should have applied to New York. I don't want to leave you." The tears continue to fall and you don't try to hide them anymore. You know what it's like to be without your best friend, your love, and you aren't prepared to have to face that again._

_ "Zoey." He said, simply. You see the pain in his eyes, hinting that he also has tears to shed, but he holds them back. "I love you. Don't beat yourself up. Going to Stanford has always been your dream. You can't give that up. We'll see each other again soon, I promise."_

_ "You're going to call me, right?"_

_ "Every single day."_

_ "I love you so much, Chase. Remember that."_

_ "I love you too."_

_He takes your face in his hands and kisses you, slowly at first, but building as neither of you wants to stop. You know this will be your last kiss for a long time, and you just wish that this moment would last forever._

_You watch as he gets in his car, giving you one more, very sad, look before driving away._

"You too."

You feel the tension between the two of you, but you can't walk away. Something inside of you – inside of you both, is keeping the two of you standing there in her old favourite coffee shop, staring at each other.

Chase had kept his promise. He called every day for her first year of college. You had met in his hometown, Boston, for thanksgiving, at your house in California for New Year's, and had spent most of the following summer with the old PCA gang at Logan's mansion.

You remember how confident the two of you were, believing that your relationship could in fact carry on like that for the next three years.

You were naïve, though.

As school got busier for both of you, phone calls became shorter. They became less frequent. The only text messages sent were _"Can't call tonight, huge assignment due. Love you."_

You could feel Chase distancing himself from you, unintentionally, of course, but still noticeable. You would tell yourself that he needed some room, that he was busy with his school work. You were incredibly busy too, the pile of unfinished school work on your indicated that.

_You know that you really should be finishing your paper, but you just can't concentrate. It was Sunday night. Sunday night usually meant your weekly video call with your boyfriend, but he still hadn't signed online. _

_You were nearing the end of your third year of university, and while you missed your old PCA friends with all of your heart, you love college. You've made so many new friends (ones who DIDN'T nearly blow up the school), and you genuinely enjoyed your life here._

_The last you had heard from Chase was that he had gotten a small position at a major journalism corporation in NYC. He was beyond excited, but had to face the challenge of keeping up with his courses while writing his column. _

_You finally give up staring at your video chat contact list, where 'FroBoy21' appeared offline, when your phone rang. 'Chase Matthews' appeared on the screen._

_ "Hey Fuzzyhead", you say, bringing back your tenth grade nickname for him._

_ "Hey, Zo, listen. I'm still at work and I won't be able to make our video call tonight. I'm really sorry. Next week, I promise."_

_You hear a female voice in the background talking to him._

_ "Who's that talking to you?"_

_ "Oh that's Marley. She goes to NYU with me, and she's helping me with my article this week."_

_ "I've never heard you mention her before."_

_ "I'm sorry, Zo. I've just been so busy lately. I want to see you, I swear. But this job is a really big thing for me._

_ You try to hide the hurt in your voice, "It's okay. I understand. Just call me when you can."_

_ "Thank you so much. Look, I have to go. Love you."_

_ You begin to reply when you hear the line go dead._

You're twenty four. Most of your friends have married, or are in serious relationships. You keep in touch with Lola when you can, and talk to Michael every once and a while. Logan and Quinn live just ten minutes up the road from you, having eloped several months ago, so you see them quite frequently. You see no sign of a ring on his finger, but that means nothing.

"What are you doing in California? I thought you were staying in New York." You say, trying to remove any emotion from your voice.

"I moved a few weeks ago. I liked my job and they paid me well, but it was too stressful. I'm working on a novel right now." He says neutrally. There's something different in his voice.

"That's good, I guess."

"Yeah."

You don't really know what to say to him. You don't want to bring up the past events, but you know that you have no choice.

_The phone calls became almost non-existent. Every conversation they did have seemed to revolve around his work, and the name 'Marley' was used quite frequently, and one day, you just snapped._

_ "Yeah and Marley and I were thinking about – "_

_ "If you like this Marley so much, why don't you date her instead, and stop wasting your time with me". You weren't an overly jealous person, but you could feel him slipping through your fingertips, and you didn't want to let go._

_ "What?"_

_ "You heard me."_

_ "Zoey, you know I'm in love with you. I always have been."_

_ "Well lately, I'm not sure I believe that any more."_

_You hung up the phone, not bothering to listen to his response._

_You had woken up to find three voicemails from him, all saying the same thing over and over. ('I love you', 'We'll spend more time together')_

_You didn't bother to call back, because you know he would be too busy to talk anyways._

_You don't hear from him again, and after many sleepless, tear filled nights, you decide that it is time._

"How have you been lately?" He asks. You know how stressed and sleep deprived you are, and you're sure the bags under your eyes reflect that. You suspect that he may be genuinely concerned, but he masks his emotions well.

"I've been alright, I guess."

_You plan a trip to New York over Christmas, as you already know that he isn't coming back. You've been to his apartment only once, but you remember the route very clearly. _

_It's been exactly fourteen months and fifteen days since you've seen him face to face, and your stomach fills with butterflies (not even the good kind) as you ride the elevator to the eighth floor of his building._

_You knock on the door, hearing laughter on the other side. It opens, and you see him standing in the entrance._

_He looks matured, his baby face completely gone, a slight shadow on his chin. His hair is less bushy, shorter, tidier than it had been when they had departed. His eyes were still the same, still bright green, now bearing a shocked expression._

"_Zoey!" He had exclaimed, giving you a hug. You don't hug him back, because you don't want to be distracted from what you came here for. He notices, because he always does. "Is everything alright?"_

"_We need to talk." You say flatly. _

"_Okay then. Come in."_

_You walk into his apartment to find a brunette woman sitting on his couch, watching TV._

"_Oh, and this is Marley."_

_She looked up at you and smiled. _

_You sigh, "Can we talk in private?"_

_He looked around nervously, "Well….no, we can't. Marley moved in with me because the rent here is so expensive, I couldn't afford it on my own. So she lives here too."_

_You can't push this off any farther, so you try to pretend that you're alone with him. "Chase, we need to break up."_

_You see his face drain in colour. You don't doubt that he loves you, but you know you're not the center of his attention anymore. "What? Where is this coming from?"_

"_Don't pretend that you haven't felt things changing. Things aren't the way they used to be, and I guess we're just different people now." It kills you to say, but you feel as if you might finally be free._

"_No, Zoey. Please don't do this." He pleaded with you. You can see the light in his eyes change. "I swear, I'll be a better boyfriend. I'll quit my job. I'll come visit more often. Just please, Zo."_

_You know your eyes are filling with tears but you blink them back. "You haven't called me in months. You don't visit your family on holidays anymore. I know. You say you're too busy to even text me, yet I show up here and you don't seem busy at all. You've changed, and as much as I wish we could go back to the way things were, we can't."_

"_Is this about Marley? Zoey, I'm not seeing her, I swear. She's just a friend."_

"_You really don't get it, do you?"_

_He looked deflated. "I know."_

"_I think you're just stuck under the delusion that you still love me, but I don't believe you do anymore." _

_He strode across the room and grabbed your hands, kissing you. The kiss was too hard, not soft like the ones she remembered so well. It didn't feel right anymore._

"_You're saying that you don't feel anything when I kiss you?" He had a sad look in his eyes, one that caused you pain to see._

"_I do feel something, Chase. That's the problem. I love you, which is why it hurts so much to go that long without hearing from you. We haven't seen each other in over a year. I've tried making plans, and you keep canceling."_

_You know this is hurting him, but you need to be selfish for a change._

"_So that's it? We're just done?"_

_You look down at your feet, (almost) regretting coming here. "I guess it does."_

_You turn to the door, but he calls out your name one more time before you can leave._

"_I love you, Zoey. I always have. Don't forget that."_

"_I love you too." You give him one small smile before leaving. "Goodbye, Chase."_

_Your heart breaks over and over again, but you don't trust him anymore. He may be Chase Matthews, but he's not your Chase Matthews._

_You later find out, from posts on SplashFace, that he and Marley had started dating. You know it was inevitable, but it pains you to think about._

He gives you a look that says he sees right through your façade, but you ignore it.

"How's Marley?"

He smiled. "I don't know. I haven't seen her in three years."

"What?"

"She was nice and everything, but too controlling over my work. We didn't last very long."

"Oh. Well I'm sorry to hear that." You hate how formal you sound, but you don't have anything else to say to him.

"Don't be." His eyes are sad, the kind of sad that used to make you want to wrap your arms around his waist and kiss him until he felt better, but times have changed.

You don't know how to respond to this, but he speaks again before you have to. "Look, Zoey. I screwed up. A lot. I know we've both grown up and have met different people, but I swear, Zo, I'm still Chase. I'm still the same guy who fell off his bike eleven years ago when he saw you for the first time."

You take a deep breath because you really don't want to hear this, and even though you so, so badly want the old Chase back in your life, you don't miss the pain.

"Chase, we've changed. You can't deny that because it's true. Have you even talked to anyone from PCA lately? Because I have, and none of them have heard from you in years. Not even Michael. The Chase I knew wouldn't kick his friends to the curb over a stupid job."

He looks up, and you can see that he's fighting the tears that are threatening to shed. "You're right. You are completely right." He sighed. "I moved back here because that job was becoming my life. I had no friends there, just people I would work with. I didn't even like it, it was too stressful and demanding, and I had no freedom at all."

"Well what made you all of a sudden realize this?"

"I saw a picture of all of you at Logan's a few months ago. I didn't even know he and Quinn got married. All of you looked so happy, and I want that back. No job is worth losing everyone I love."

"Well if you just think you can move to California and just walk right back into our lives, you're mistaken. Everyone's pissed at you, Chase. Not just me. Even Lola, who just got a part in a movie, makes time to see us. And you haven't even called."

"I'm so sorry. I am so, so extremely sorry. I know saying that is probably useless but please, Zoey."

You didn't think it was possible for him to break your heart after he had already broken it, but seeing him like this hurts you. "I miss you, Chase. I miss having you, the old you, around. But it's going to take some time."

"Have dinner with me tonight." He says, seemingly out of nowhere. His hands are shaking slightly, and you can tell he's nervous.

"What?"

"Have dinner with me. I'll prove to you that I haven't changed. Come to my house tonight, I'll cook. "

"Chase I don't think that's a good id-"

"Please Zoey"

You give in, only because you know you'll only regret this if you say no.

"Fine. What's your address?"

You pull out a slip of paper from your purse and a pen, and he writes it down quickly.

"How's 7?

"That works. I'll see you tonight I guess." You turn and walk out, not giving him another look.

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><p><strong>AN**

**I was in the mood for a little Choey angst, considering how much fluff I've been writing lately. **

**Does anyone want me to continue this? Or should I just scrap the idea all together?**

**I'm not sure what direction this fic is going to take, really. What do you guys want to happen? Let me know what you think.**

**REVIEW! REVIEW!**

**Feel free to PM me if you have any questions/comments/concerns, or if you just want to say hi. I love meeting new people and hearing different ideas.**

**Anyways, let me know your thoughts.**

**-Sarah**


	2. Starting Over

You barely remember the fifteen minute drive home, as your thoughts are consumed with Chase, and your meeting tonight with him.

He looked different, yet still the same. His hair was as bushy as it was when they graduated from PCA, not short like it had been when they had last spoken. He was slightly more muscular, and his face was matured. But his eyes were still the same, still green, soft, familiar.

You're anxious about having to be alone with him. You had just began to move on with your life, having gone on a few dates with a few different men. None of them were amazing, but you felt almost free, having been tied down for so long. You're still unsure about your feelings for Chase, so you call Lola, hoping to get some advice. Although you're usually the one fixing problems, Lola always seemed to understand her situation.

"Hey Zo, what's up?"

"Hey, listen. I have a problem. Is this a good time?" You can hear people moving around in the background and you guess that she's on set for her movie.

"I'm on a break right now, so of course. What's wrong?"

"I ran into, um, someone from PCA this afternoon, and I'm meeting them later for dinner." You don't say his name, but you know she'll figure it out.

"Does this person happen to be tall and awkward with extremely bushy hair?"

"Maybe"

"What's Chase doing in Malibu? I thought he was in New York?"

"Apparently his job was too stressful, and I guess he wanted to reconnect with all of us, so he moved out here."

"Oh boy. What are you going to do?" You can practically see her rolling her eyes on the other end of the line.

"I have no clue. Last time I saw him, over three years ago, he was a completely different person. Today he seemed more like his old self, but I still don't know."

"Is it a date tonight?"

"I'd hardly call it a date, he just wants me to come over for dinner."

"Just see how things go. He's really going to have try hard if he wants you back. Do you still love him?

"I don't know. I think I might, but he really hurt me. I don't want to go through that again."

"Just go with your gut. If you think this is a good idea, it probably is. Have you talked to Michael?"

"No, I'm going to let Chase call Michael himself."

"Good idea. I have to get back to set, but call me afterwards. I want to hear what happened."

"I will. Talk to you later."

The line clicked dead.

"_Turn around"_

_You turn, phone still pressed to your ear, to find him standing behind you, grinning ear to ear. You cannot contain yourself as you run to him. He wraps his arms around you, lifting you off of the ground._

"_What are you doing here?" You shout. "I thought you were at Covington until the end of the semester!"_

_He smiles, still holding you. "My parents called me. They knew I wasn't enjoying myself and my mom didn't like me being on the other side of the world so they let me transfer back."_

_As you look into his eyes for the first time in over six months, you feel something changing. You realize that this, this is what it feels like to be in love. And you couldn't be happier. _

_You take his hand and lead him to the stairs, sitting down at the bottom._

"_So I have a question, Brooks."_

"_Yes?"_

"_Why do you not have a date to prom? Michael said you have a boyfriend." You can see him trying to hide the sadness in his eyes._

"_Well I had a boyfriend." You smile at him. "I broke up with him."_

_You laugh as his eyes widen, a grin forming on his face. "You WHAT?"_

"_I broke up with him."_

"_Why?" He asks, but you know he's beyond excited._

"_He told me he loved me" You say, watching his reaction. His face stays neutral. "I didn't love him back, so I broke up with him. I couldn't figure out why, until now."_

_You watch his face go from confusion to disbelief as he pieces things together. "And that would be..?"_

"_Do I really have to explain, Fuzzyhead?"_

"_I'd like to hear it."_

_You smile at him, "Because I'm in love with you, Chase. I think I always have been, I just didn't figure it out as fast as I should have."_

_You see how shocked he is, and you don't think twice as you lean in and press your lips to his. You pull back for a moment, and you both lean in again. He kisses you back and you can feel all the stress, all the worry, all the heartache from the previous semester melt away. It feels as if his lips are made for your own. You kiss for what feels like an eternity, yet it ends too soon._

"_Wow" he says. You laugh because it is just so Chase-like to be at a loss for words._

_You kiss his cheek and feel his skin flush. _

"_I definitely was not expecting that" He says after forever. "I love you too, Zoey." _

_As you look into his eyes, you see love and nothing else. _

Conveniently, Chase lives only a five minute drive from your house, so it doesn't give you much time to panic. You dressed casual, wearing jeans and a cardigan. _It's just Chase, _you think to yourself, but it doesn't ease your nerves.

You remember a time where seeing Chase was the best part of your day. Now, you regret agreeing to see him again.

He opens the door to his house before you can even knock, with a big smile on his face. It doesn't surprise you at all that he bought a house, even though he's twenty four and single. He likes to plan ahead, and you used to love that about him.

He walks over to a sofa and sits down, pulling you with him.

"Nice house" you say, trying to create small talk. You've never been very good at it.

"Thanks. I made steak for dinner." He knows you all too well and it's freaking you out a little.

"Sounds good."

You eat in silence for a few minutes before he speaks again.

"So what are you doing for a living?"

"I'm a marketing agent for a sales company."

"Fashion?"

"You got it."

More silence continues, both of you not looking at each other, not attempting to speak.

Finally, you finish your (incredibly good) meal, and he pulls you back over to the couch. You are the one to speak first.

"Look, Chase. I see what you're trying to do, but I don't think we can just pick things up where they left off. I don't even know you anymore."

He sighed. "Zoey. I don't love you the way I did as a teenager anymore." You hear these words and they sting, but you pretend they don't bother you. He pauses, and then continues. "When I saw you earlier, I fell in love with you in a different way. I love you. I'm in love with you. It's the same feeling I had eleven years ago, but this time I know for sure. We're adults, and I want to love you like one."

Tears fill your eyes and you don't try to stop them. "Chase, I can't do this."

You get up to leave, but he grabs your hand as you near the door.

"Zoey, I've lost you twice now. I don't want to lose you again."

"Twice?"

"The first was when you went to England, because I acted like a dumbass and didn't stop you. It was my fault you left, and it hurt so much. The second was when I decided that a stupid job and another girl were more important than staying in touch with the woman I was in love with. Yet another stupid mistake, and you were gone. Again."

You're crying because you can see how much pain he's in.

"Zoey. I've screwed up. A lot. But I am saying, I love you with all of my heart. I don't deserve to have you, especially now. And if you walk out, I can promise that I'll never bother you again."

You turn to look at him, and you see a glimmer in his eyes that you've seen before. You know he loves you, and something in you knows that you love him too.

You take the two steps necessary to stand in front of him. You wrap an arm around his neck and tilt your head upwards, pulling your face up to meet his lips. After the initial shock, his kisses you back. The softness, the warmth you remember returns, and you swear that you see fireworks.

You end the kiss, saying "I'm not walking out on you."

His face breaks out into his goofy, lopsided grin, and he pulls you back into the living room.

"I know things won't be like they used to for a while, but maybe we could start fresh."

"What do you mean?"

"Nice to meet you. I'm Chase Matthews"

You laugh. "I'm Zoey. Nice to meet you too."

Your guard is still up, but you don't feel nearly as defensive. Immediately, the awkwardness breaks away and you're talking to him the way you used to. You talked for hours. You feel your heart being stitched back together, slowly, and it feels so right being here with him.

"I really should get going, it's almost midnight." You say.

"Yeah, I guess. I'll call you tomorrow, though, okay?" He says with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"Of course. But I'm not the only one you'll be calling."

He looks at you with confusion.

"Lola's the only other person who knows you moved out here. Michael, Logan, Quinn. You need to talk to them."

"Oh yeah" He looked down. "How much to they hate me?"

"Logan and Quinn not so much, but Michael's pretty pissed at you."

"Maybe I'll go see him tomorrow then."

"Good idea. Oh and Zoey?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

You take a deep breath. You don't know if you want to say it back yet, but something in the back of your mind possess you to anyways.

"I love you too. Goodnight."

He kisses you one more time before you leave.

When you get home, you collapse on your bed. You can't help but smile. You shouldn't trust him, but he seems so familiar, and things felt right, felt normal, after they had kissed.

You feel as if you are back in tenth grade after prom, starting a relationship with someone you already know so well.

But yet, it feels like a fresh start. And you needed one desperately.

**A/N**

**I hope this didn't come out too fluffy.**

**I have another chapter in progress, involving Michael and Chase. Shit is going to go down, I hope you're ready. **

**I didn't think Zoey would be one to hold a grudge, and I believed that she truly loved Chase the way he loved her. I think it wouldn't take much for her to take him back.**

**Let me know if you want me to update. **

**PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS! SERIOUSLY!**

**I love hearing your thoughts so give me a shout if you have any comments. I don't bite, I swear.**

**-Sarah**


	3. Roses and Old Friends

**A/N: Here's chapter three. It's kind of all over the place, plot wise, so if that bugs you let me know. I love hearing your feedback so review! Tell me your thoughts, what you liked/didn't like. All constructive criticism is welcome! **

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><p>As you awake you get the sense that you've been sleeping for quite a long time. As you roll over, the red LED lights on your clock show that it's currently after eleven in the morning. You almost never sleep that late, but it's Sunday and you decide to enjoy the moment for once. After forever, you climb out of bed and hit the shower. As the water wakes you up, the events of last night creep back into your mind.<p>

You can't exactly regret kissing Chase, but as common sense kicks in you get an uneasy feeling in your gut. You realize that you did everything that you had been trying to avoid for so long. But you don't regret it. You won't regret it.

Being with Chase, your version of Chase, made you feel sane again. You didn't exactly realize how abnormal things were until he kissed you. You could feel things falling back into place, and although completely unexpected, your life feels as if it's back on track, wherever that track is leading to.

_You sit on the fountain next to him. Prom had just ended and neither of you had any intention of going to after-prom. He had been absent from your life for six months, and you just wanted to spend the rest of the night with him, away from the questions of Quinn and Lola, and the stares you've been getting from the rest of the school. The cool California breeze hits your skin, but with him you feel warm. Everything felt like it was where it should be again. Talking to him feels effortless. James was really nice and you were happy with him, but he couldn't quite fill the void that Chase had left. _

"_I'm so happy you came back for prom. I thought this night was going to be a disaster until you showed up."_

"_Me too. Mind you, we never would have gotten into this mess had I not been such an idiot last semester."_

"_But would you have ever told me you loved me?"_

"_Good point. Probably not."_

_You laugh. "You should have told me. I mean, I would have been shocked but I obviously feel the same way, I just didn't know it yet."_

_This time, he kisses you, and you know in your heart that this is how things are supposed to be._

You check your phone, slightly (desperately) hoping that he has called or texted you. And he has. One unread text from last night, one from this morning. He just knows you too well.

'_Hey Zo, hope you got home safe. I love you. –C'_

You know he cares for your safety and you feel slightly guilty for not replying last night, but checking your phone was the least of your worries.

'_Good morning :) Call me when you get this._'

You try to procrastinate calling for as long as you can, but you (reallyreallyreally) want to hear his voice again. So you call.

"Zoey Brooks" he answers on the second ring.

"Morning, Fuzzyhead." You reply, bringing back your high school nickname for him that, even though he claimed to hate, you know he actually loved.

"I'm still Fuzzyhead?"

"Well unless you prefer Curly Sue, I suggest you stop complaining." It feels weird joking around with him like this, but you like how easily it comes to you.

"No complaints here."

"So what's up?"

"Well, I've decided I need to go see Michael today, and I'm slightly afraid of him beating the shit out of me."

"Only slightly?"

"More like, he's going to fucking kill me."

"Well….."

You hear him sigh on the other end. "Look I know I deserve it-"

You cut him off. "He'll come around. Michael doesn't hold grudges. You should know that."

"I do. But can you come with me? He might actually talk if you're there."

You know there is absolutely nothing on your schedule today, besides laundry, so you agree. "Fine, I'll come. But you owe me."

"You're the best. I'll pick you up in an hour?"

"Sounds good Matthews."

You quickly finish your breakfast and call Lola. You know you promised to call her after last night, but you were just too damned tired to consider it. You don't get an answer from Lola, but you figure you should at least make sure Michael will be home.

Michael and Lisa broke up over thanksgiving break the year after graduation, but they still remained incredibly close friends. Michael was living with his girlfriend of three years, Hana, and had confided in you that he intended on proposing very soon. You're not sure how Logan and Quinn managed to be the only couple to survive both the end of high school and college, but somehow they seemed to bring out the best of each other.

"Hey Zoey" He answers. "What's shakin'?"

Michael had kept his youthful sense of humor, and that was something that, although could get quite annoying at times, you all loved about him.

"Hey, are you home today? I need to come by, it's important."

"Does this important thing happen to do with the fact that you saw Chase Matthews yesterday?"

"Maybe."

"Yeah I'm home. When will you be here?"

"An hour or so?"

"Sounds good, Brooks. Later"

"Bye"

The line clicks dead. You should have known that Lola would tell him. At least it won't be as much as a surprise when Michael's former best friend, practically his brother, shows up at his house.

You notice that you only have fifteen minutes until Chase shows up, so you quickly change into a blouse and skirt, and put on some light makeup. You're just grabbing your purse when you hear a knock at the door. You open it to find Chase, standing on your porch, wearing a stripped golf shirt, jeans, and running shoes, and holding a bouquet of roses.

"What are these for?"

"There are ten roses, and they all mean something."

You look at him with a confused look. "Mean something?"

"I'll explain." He says, smiling at you. He hands you three roses. "The first three are for the three years I knew you before we started dating. They're for the three years I should have told you I loved you. But they were a great three years, being friends with you."

You look down at the flowers. They were beautiful.

"The next two are for the amount of times I screwed up. I screwed up, and I lost you." He handed you two more roses.

"These two are for the times that you shouldn't have forgiven me, yet you did. I don't know why you did, but the fact that at age twenty four, I am standing here with you, is incredible." He handed you two more, bringing the number of roses in your hands up to seven.

"The next two are for the number of times we kissed last night. I don't know why, or how, you trust me enough to kiss me, but you did, and I don't deserve you. After how much I hurt you, I don't deserve you at all. But we kissed and now there is no way I can let you go again."

You feel tears forming – the happy kind, and you see the look in his eyes, the look of both sadness and pure love, and you know he is genuinely sorry, and you know you love him.

"And the last one?"

"It represents the rose I never gave you. I doubt you remember, but back in eighth grade, I think it was your second week at PCA, you asked me to go to a movie with you."

"Yeah I remember."

"I kind of hoped it would have been a date, so I brought you a rose. I never ended up giving it to you though, because you brought your roommates with you.

"Oh Chase-"

"It also represents you. You are the only woman I have ever said 'I love you' to. You were my first, and my one and only love.

You feel as if you can't breathe. "You, wait, what?"

"I have never told another woman I loved her. You're the only one."

You're crying now.

"I don't know what to say." You reply.

"You don't have to say anything." He looks at you, and you are certain now that you're in love.

"I can't believe you came up with that. I mean, I can, but…" You take a deep breath. "I love you. I never stopped loving you, Chase. I didn't love the guy you became, but I love you like this."

His lips are on yours before you can continue.

"I never stopped loving you either," He says, after forever. "I think I just forgot who I was."

You smile. After finding a vase for your flowers, the two of you are out the door and driving to Michael's.

Michael lived relatively close, about thirty minutes across town.

As you pull into his driveway, you notice Chase become quiet.

"Michael knows you moved out here. Lola told him that I ran into you yesterday."

"That's not going to stop him from pounding my face in." He remarks.

You take his hand and lead him up the walkway. You ring the doorbell, and Hana answers. She lets you in, and you find Michael sitting at his kitchen table, not looking at you.

"Hey" you say, trying to sound cheery. Chase stood a step behind you. "I brought someone with me"

He stood up, answering, "Really? Who? I don't see anyone."

Chase speaks before you can answer. "Dude, look. I'm really sorry. I just got so caught up in that job that I sort of lost who I was. But I'm here now, permanently. I'm really sorry."

Michael looks at you. "Do you hear voices? Because there's someone speaking some bullshit but I don't see anyone here."

You sit down at the table, knowing that nothing you say will change things.

"Michael, seriously."

"No, you be serious. Chase, you think you can just walk back into our lives, like five years later and just EXPECT we'll come running back into your arms?"

"No, I don't. But please, Michael. We were best friends. I swear, I'm still the same guy that roomed with you at PCA."

"That's bullshit. BULL. SHIT. You are outta your mind if you think I fucking believe anything you have to say." Michael looks close to exploding, and you don't want to be within distance of him when he does, so you walk to the other side of the room and stand next to Hana. "YOU FUCKING BROKE ZOEY'S HEART, AND HAVE MADE NO ATTEMPT TO EVEN CALL ANY OF US. NONE. ZERO."

"You're absolutely right and – "

"HOW DARE YOU, THINKING YOU CAN COME BACK HERE?"

Chase opens his mouth to talk, and Michael punches him square in the jaw.

And Chase doesn't fight back.

"WHAT, YOU THINK YOU'RE TOO GOOD TO FIGHT ME? YOU THINK YOU CAN COME IN HERE SAYING BULLSHIT THAT YOU'VE CHANGED?"

"Michael, I haven't changed. I'm still the same gu – "

"FIGHT ME BACK"

"Dude, last time I hit someone I broke my hand…"

Michael's expression changes within half a second. "Oh yeah…"

You watch as they stare at each other for a long time. Finally Chase smirks, saying "Are you going to come hug me or not?"

Michael ran over to him and bear-hugged him, lifting him off of the ground.

_You walk hand in hand across the school grounds towards the prom, just in time to witness Stacey Dillson spring through the parking lot, and get hit by a car._

"_OH MY GOD." You exclaim. _

_Looking at Chase, the two of you run across the parking lot. _

_To your surprise, she's standing up._

_And speaking normally._

_Michael, Jeremiah, and Mark stand with her. "I can't believe it."_

"_I know. She talks perfectly now." Michael, noticing you there, "Chase, she talks perfectly now."_

_You know it'll only take about two seconds for him to realize, so you count in your head._

_1...2…_

"_CHASE!"_

_Michael grabs Chase and lifts him up, spinning him around. _

_You don't tell anyone about this, but you see James standing behind Jeremiah. You see him smile and nod at you. Like you, he knew. He knew that Chase was the reason behind your acting weird, and he understands._

"_Hey now, don't break my boyfriend" You say with a smile. _

"_You're BOYFRIEND?"_

_You nod at him, a big smile on your face. _

"_Yeah, we just got-"_

"_CHASE!" _

"It's good to have you back brotha" Michael says.

"Yeah it's been hard, not seeing your freakish face. I missed it."

"Yeah well I missed your big bush of a head"

"Thank you."

They had their arms around each other, and though you didn't particularly expect this outcome, it doesn't surprise you.

You hear Hana whisper to you, "He just punched him in the face, and now they're best friends?"

"It was like this in high school. They didn't fight very often, but when they did it was exactly like this."

Michael turns to you, saying, "So what's going on with the two of you?"

Chase winks at you, and you reply, "Oh nothing, it's not like we're back together or anything."

"YOU'RE BACK TOGETHER?!"

You know Michael spent years being Chase's wingman, trying to get him to tell you how he felt. You know Michael was happiest when his friends were happy.

"Maybe." Chase answers, putting an arm around your waist.

"CHASE!"

"Oh get over here!" You say, and Michael engulfs both of you in a hug.

The three of you walk to his family room and sit down.

"Hey Mike, I'm going to run over to my parent's house. I'll be back soon." Hana says, kissing him on the top of the head.

"Okay, love you." He replied.

As she leaves, you see Michael getting a grin on his face.

Chase, seeing this too, "Okay, what?"

"Are you guys going to Logan's this Friday?" Michael asks.

"I had planned on going" you say. "Chase, you coming?"

"I guess…?" He replies. "I haven't seen them in forever."

Michael laughs, "Well, you better be coming. I have big news."

You already know, but you still ask. "What big news?"

"I'm going to propose. I met her through Quinn, so I want everyone to be there for it."

"DUDE! Really?" Chase patted him on the back. "Proud of you."

"Yeah well I have to head out soon, the ring is supposed to be ready this afternoon. So what are you guys up to for the rest of the day?" Michael asks.

You look at Chase, "I'm not sure. Chase?"

"Do you want to grab some lunch?"

"Yeah, I could be up for that."

You and Chase get up to leave, and Michael gives each of you a bear hug.

"Oh and sorry about hitting you" Michael says to Chase. You can see the bruise forming.

"I deserved it. It's no problem, man."

"Well I expect to see you and your bushy head around here more often, got it?"

Chase laughs, "Of course. Later, dude."

As you get into your car and drive away, you see a gleam in Chase's eyes that you haven't seen in a long time.

You stay silent for a while, thinking over the events that just occurred. You drive back to your neighbourhood and stop at a small sandwich shop for lunch. You haven't done any grocery shopping so you figure it'd be best to eat out.

"I can't believe that Michael is going to propose. It just seems unnatural. Wasn't it just yesterday he was puking on Lisa's shoes?" He says.

"It feels like it sometimes. But with Quinn and Logan getting married, it makes sense, I guess. I even heard Vince Blake was in a pretty serious relationship too."

"Okay so I know him and Lisa broke up, but who's that girl?"

"That's Hana. She's Quinn's cousin. They met when Quinn was helping her move into her apartment. Michael stopped by, and they ended up going out. She's perfect for him. Lisa has a new boyfriend, but she and Michael are still really good friends."

"Wow, so pretty much everyone is tied off right now. That's impressive."

"Yeah, everyone except Lola."

"Lola?"

"She's been pretty focused on her acting and says she doesn't want to date right now."

"Weird…" You laugh, because he would have always known Lola to be completely boy-crazy. "And you?"

"Well you and I are dating, right?"

He rolls his eyes. "You know that's not what I meant."

You take a deep breath. "I've dated a few guys here and there. None of them really stuck out to me. James asked me out a few months ago, and I had dinner with him and it was okay, but I didn't want to go out again. He moved back to Santa Fe."

"Wait. James, as in your ex- boyfriend James?"

You raise an eyebrow at him. "You really don't have a place to be jealous, now do you."

"I guess not." He blushed. "Did you kiss him?"

"Chase!"

"Okay sorry."

"Well for the record, no I didn't"

"Oh thank God."

You roll your eyes. Your date with James was awkward, and neither of you had the intention of seeing each other again, let alone kiss. But you don't tell Chase this.

"So tell me about Marley."

"What about Marley?"

"Oh come on, Chase."

"Fine." He took a deep breath. "I met her in one of my lit classes at NYU. We had to do an assignment and she didn't really understand so I helped her out. She found out about my writing, and she's a journalist so we kind of bonded over that. I wasn't interested in her as more than a friend, and I must have been oblivious to the fact that she liked me. It was her suggestion to move in, and I wasn't thinking about her intentions. I actually believed that it was about money. I thought it was a good idea, since it IS expensive to live in New York."

He paused, looking at your expression, and then continued. "I swear, Zoey. I never cheated on you. I never had any intention to either. She seemed really interested in my writing and I liked the help. We ended up getting hired at the same time, and she wouldn't leave me alone. I was lonely and she was friendly. I know I should have just called you, but I didn't."

"Chase-", You say, but he cut you off.

"When you broke up with me, it killed me. I definitely didn't see it coming, but I guess I should have considering we hadn't even seen each other in person in over a year. I was upset, and before I could do anything she was kissing me. We didn't have a good relationship, or any relationship for that matter. She was just a distraction. We didn't even talk to each other, really. It went on for like a month before I came to my senses and ended it. She switched jobs, and I was finally left alone to deal with what I had done."

"Don't beat yourself up over this."

"I have to. I deserved it. I wanted to call you, any of you for that matter. Well mostly just you. But I couldn't live with myself. It was humiliating. I lost you, I lost my friends. So when I saw that picture and how happy you all looked, I decided to come back. I was tired of spending all of my time at work, and I just want to write. I don't want people telling me what to write."

"Well you're back now."

"Yeah…"

You take his chin in your hand and lift it so he can look you in the eye.

"I'm not mad at you. I was, but I just wanted you back. This version of you."

"Well this is me."

"I know, and I love you. You know that." You say to him.

The sadness in his eyes is replaced with happiness. "I do. But it's nice to hear again."

"Okay, enough with the sappy. What's your book about?"

"It's loosely an interpretation of my years at PCA."

"Can I read what you've done so far?"

He laughs. "Well I only have some notes written down, but of course."

"Good. Oh, and how's your jaw?" You say, noticing the bruise getting darker.

"It could've been worse."

You laugh, and he smiles at you. The last twenty four hours have been chaotic, but you know things are changing for the better.

He drives you home and kisses you, and you can actually feel your heart mending itself. Chase broke your heart, but he is the only one capable of fixing it. And you almost feel as if he has.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**So I'm kind of regretting writing in second person because I wanted to show some things from Chase's perspective, but since I started it this way I'm going to finish it like this. **

**I have ideas for a couple more chapters, so if you've stuck it out this far, THANK YOU!**

**There was no way Michael would be able to stay mad at his best friend in the world, so I figured a good punch in the jaw would be a quick fix to his anger.**

**Review! I'm going to start replying to reviews I think. PLEASE give me feedback! Tell me what you liked/didn't like etc. **

**-Sarah**


	4. Looking Back, Moving Forwards

**A/N: The last few days have been incredibly frustrating. Everything I've written has been absolute shit, so bear with me. I just had to write something, so here's the next chapter. Zoey is a bit out of character in the beginning – see author's note at the bottom for more detail. REVIEW.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>You lay on your back on the cool grass of your backyard, gazing up at the stars. Something about the concept of infinity boggles your mind, and you had never really grasped the fact of how tiny the earth really is in perspective to everything else. You had never really pondered that, even though your days on earth are limited, it is indeed possible to live infinitely during those days. You think back to the days of your high school Philosophy courses. While at the time, the course seemed useless to what you intended on pursuing in your later years, you never could have imagined them playing a role in your life. You realize that maybe Canter did know what he was talking about, that some infinities are larger than other infinities. While you had disagreed at the time, the last six months with Chase had felt like a lifetime.<p>

Chase had opened your eyes up to the possibility that love really does triumph over everything else. He had been persistent with you in the beginning, and you had given in. Now, six months from his miraculous return to California, you are happier than ever. Chase filled a hole that you didn't really know existed. When he was in England during your sophomore year at PCA, you noticed him gone, but it wasn't until he was back that you realized how in love with him you were. Now, you know for certain that Chase is here, with you, for good, and that you are head over heels in love with him, and that he feels the same for you.

You feel the cold November breeze on your face but it doesn't bother you at all. This was one of your favourite times of the year at PCA, warm enough during the day that you could still wear shorts or a skirt, but cool enough that you could get away with wearing pants. While night times were cold, you appreciate it because sometimes California could get too damned hot.

Michael had proposed to Hana, and she had accepted enthusiastically. He didn't propose at Logan's though, as originally planned, but rather at home, privately. The date was set for the spring, May eleventh to be exact. She and Quinn had been planning obsessively, to the point where you (almost) avoided being alone with either one, hoping that neither would try to rope you into it as well.

While you still live alone in your tiny little ranch-style house, it almost feels like you don't. Many of your nights are spent at Chase's, and if you're not there, he's at your place. Although it had only been six months, he was your best friend and your love, and being with him, anywhere with him, felt like being at home. It's a Thursday night, and the first night in over a month you've spent alone, but Michael has the day off tomorrow so he, Logan, and Chase were out, having a 'guys only' night. Chase had invited you along, to Logan's protest, but you had denied. You know he needs time to himself. You worry for his safety because it's just in your nature to worry, and nothing will ever stop you from trying to protect the ones you love, but you know he's okay. Chase is the responsible one. Logan on the other hand was known for his excessive drinking and getting 'shit-faced' at any chance he got. You know Chase, and while you know he'll be drunk and you know you'll end up taking care of him tomorrow, even though he swears he's okay, so you take the day off work tomorrow as well.

You remember the first time you spent the night at his place very clearly. Not in the mood for a fancy dinner, he had planned a romantic picnic for the two of you. Everything was set, but the weather had decided to not cooperate that particular day. So you picnicked on the floor in his living room, and it was by far one of the best dates you've ever had. Growing up in a devout Christian family, you had always been taught to wait until marriage for sex. Chase wasn't your first (due to drunken college parties, which you always regretted in the morning and don't want to talk about), but the feeling he left on your skin, you knew right away that he was meant for you. He had kissed you, softly, but anxious, you could feel how nervous he was, so you made the first move, and he had carried you up the stairs, to the bed, not tripping _once. _You had felt so alive, and this time, nothing was distorted by alcohol or numbing the pain. You loved him, and he loved you. It was simple. You had expected it to be awkward, being that he was your best friend in high school since you were thirteen, but it wasn't.

Afterwards, he had wrapped his arm around you and pulled you close to him, and you fell asleep, still holding his hand.

_You woke up confused. Your eyes are still shut but you know just from the feeling of the pillow that this isn't your room. As you open your eyes to see him fast asleep beside you, the memories from last night came flooding back, and you smiled. _

_ He felt you move, waking him up. You turned to look at him directly, still lying in bed._

_ "I can't believe that happened." He said, a look of disbelief crossing his face._

_ You grinned at him, and his eyes softened. "You're cute," you replied, because he just was, and you couldn't stop yourself. "And yes, that happened."_

_ "Wow." He ran his fingers through his hair, which was stuck to his head on one side, and sticking up in weird places. _

_ You leaned your face in so your noses were half an inch apart. You both burst into laughter at the same time. He had a way of reading your mind, and sometimes it seemed as if both your thoughts ran on the same frequency, that they were connected. _

_ It was a cooler morning, mid-September, so he gave you a pair of his sweats and a t-shirt to wear. He cooked you breakfast, and you spent the rest of the morning with him, not getting tired of his company. Although your hair was greasy and you knew you probably smelled bad from last nights 'activities', he made you feel like the most beautiful girl in the entire world._

Soon after, you began coming over for dinner more frequently, helping him cook and clean. You stayed later and later, sleeping over at his house more and more. Half of your wardrobe was hanging up in his closet, and part of his was at yours. He had discussed the idea of you moving in with him, and while you know that you are ready, being that you practically live there already, you still had decided to wait until things between you and Chase had become more serious. In the back of your mind, you still have the fear of a break up, and although you know that it's unlikely, you want to be prepared for the worst. It didn't stop you from sleeping there five days a week, and from him coming over every other day, because quite frankly, you sleep better with him by your side.

Quinn had volunteered to drive the guys' home, being that her husband was the worst drunk and was just downright embarrassingly loud. Chase had agreed to text her when he was home safely, and you had even insisted he set an alarm in his phone to remind him. You know what he's like under Logan's influence, as much as he'd like to deny it. It was just after midnight when you finally decided to get ready for bed. Sleep wouldn't come until you had heard from him though, so you watched TV. Your text tone went off, and a message from Quinn had appeared.

_'Just picked up the guys. Chase's hammered. Mike is tipsy but is going to stay with Chase, make sure he's okay. Will keep you updated.'_

You breathed a sigh of relief, knowing Michael would be there. Michael had had his fair share of get-drunk-pass-out moments, but had decided that it was time to act more maturely as he was getting married and needed to act like an adult.

You received another text from Quinn fifteen minutes later.

'_Chase is home. He kept shouting your name in the car, saying something about texting you but he isn't exactly coherent. He's okay though.'_

You smile, even though you shouldn't. _'Thanks, Quinn. I really appreciate it. Good luck with hung over Logan tomorrow ;)'_

As you hit send, a message came in from Chase.

'_I jhomw. Fukimg wadted. Libe u'_

While hard to decipher, you determine that he had intended on writing '_I'm home. Fucking wasted. Love you.' _

The fact that, even while drunk, he thinks of you, is enough to calm you down enough to sleep, and you fall asleep right there on the couch.

* * *

><p>You woke up to the sound of your phone ringing. <em>Michael <em>flashed on the screen.

Sleepily, you answered. "Hello?"

"Hey Zoey. Your boy is still alive."

You laugh. "How bad is it?"

"He puked at least ten times last night. I'll tell ya, the kid doesn't take alcohol very well. He's asleep."

"Aw"

"I'm okay too, thanks for asking". You can practically see him rolling his eyes on the other end.

Smirking, you reply, "And how are you Michael?"

"Cranky. I didn't sleep at all. When are you getting here so I can go home and hide under my blankets for the next ten years?"

"I'll be there in thirty. You can probably take off."

"Sounds good, Brooks. Later."

And while you don't exactly look forward to cleaning vomit off of him, your motherly, protective instinct kicks in at once and you shower and dress quickly and head over to Chase's.

You let yourself in, not wanting to wake him up. You smell cleaner, and realize that Michael must have beaten you to it before you arrived. You make a mental note to make it up to him later. You peek into his room to find him awake and lying in bed with his arm covering his eyes. You walk in and curl up next to him.

"Did someone drink a little bit too much last night?"

He turns to face you. His eyes are bloodshot and his face is pale and clammy. "Never. Again." He whispered. "I'm going to kill Logan, I swear."

You smirk. "Yeah, you've looked better." He rolled his eyes. "Michael was here all night with you."

"He was?"

"Yeah, he said you puked all night and then crashed."

He closed his eyes and groaned.

"I brought advil and coffee. Just going to have to wait it out. Now go get in the shower."

He groaned again and pulled the covers over his head for a split second, before jumping out of bed and sprinting to the bathroom. After a while, you hear the shower turn on and decide to make some coffee, and yourself some breakfast because you didn't really get a chance to eat.

You also decide to change the sheets on his bed and start his laundry. You feel as if it's your duty to take care of him.

_You lay on your sofa, a pile of tissues on the floor, having missed the garbage can. You didn't get sick often, but when visiting Dustin in the infirmary you must have caught whatever virus he had. You didn't like the infirmary, so you had opted to stay in bed at your own dorm. You had missed class today, and it was Friday night, open mic night, and all of your friends were out, watching Michael and Lisa duet. _

_It had surprised you when he showed up, knocking on the door then letting himself in._

_ "Chase, what are you doing here?"_

_ "I'm here to take care of you."_

_ "You don't have to do that. I don't want to get you sick too."_

_ "It's worth the risk." He kissed the top of your head. _

_He had brought your favourite kind of tea with him and a movie, and you cuddled into him, falling asleep with your head on his shoulder._

He walked downstairs, wearing sweats and an old PCA shirt and sat down. He looked horrible, but better than he had when you walked in. Grasping his coffee in two hands, he looked up at you, smiled and said "Where the hell would I be without you?"

You hugged his shoulders and kissed his cheek. "Let's not find out."

* * *

><p>"I just realized something."<p>

"What did you realize?" You said, swallowing a mouthful of pasta. You had cooked for him that night at your own house.

"In ninth grade, you promised to tell me something in ten years." He grinned. "It's been ten years."

"And what did I promise you?"

"You promised that you'd tell me what you said about me on your time capsule DVD."

You burst out laughing. "I had completely forgotten about that!"

"But you're going to tell me?"

"I might."

"Zoey"

"Kidding, I'll tell you." You smirked. "Wow, ten years later and you're still hung up on this."

"I am not. I'm just curious, that's all." His face flushed bright red.

"I know I made a second copy of it, and I have a box of old PCA stuff in the attic. I think it's in there."

You finished your dinner, and within five minutes of searching, you found the DVD. You put it your DVD player and hit play, and watch as your fourteen year old self appears on the screen.

"It's nothing spectacular, so don't get your hopes up." Chase rolled his eyes, and you playfully shove him.

'_Hi, I'm Zoey Brooks. If you're watching this, it's probably twenty years from now…'_

"We can skip this part." You say, fast forwarding.

'_And that's why having Nicole as my roommate has been one of the best parts of my life here at PCA. And now I'm going to tell you about one of the most special people.'_

You glance over at Chase and see him smile a little.

'_His name is Chase Matthews, and he is one of the funniest, nicest, coolest people I have ever met. He was the first friend I made here. He's super clumsy and a little awkward-"_

He rolled his eyes, again. You laugh a little, because you know he won't expect what's coming.

"_-but he is easily the best friend I could ever have. I'd trust him with my life.'_

You watch as your younger self takes a deep breath, and you grab Chase's hand.

'_I don't like him as just a friend, though. I've had a crush on him for a while now, but I don't think he likes me that way. It's not a huge crush, and I feel totally comfortable around him, but it's enough that I think about him all the time. My older self is probably going to think I'm crazy when I watch this in twenty years. And Chase, if you're watching, now you know the truth.'_

You hit stop on the DVD because you don't need to see anymore.

You blush as he looks at you, jaw dropped. "So THIS is why you wouldn't tell me," He said, teasingly. "I can't believe you had a crush on me."

"Yeah." You laughed. "I must have been completely oblivious to your liking me."

"And you never told anyone?"

"Nope. Well actually, you remember Dana."

"Your roommate in eighth grade?"

"Yeah. Well she used to tease me about it. She knew. Nobody else." You rest a head on his shoulder.

"Can I tell you a secret, Zo?"

"Sure."

"I have a crush on you."

You laughed. "Don't worry, I won't tell."

"Thank God."

You lift your head up and he kisses you, pulling you onto his lap.

* * *

><p>Three months later, and over three quarters of your belongings are situated at Chase's. Your place doesn't feel like home anymore, and you rarely spend a night there anymore.<p>

You were headed to Logan and Quinn's for dinner that night. It was casual, but you still put on some light makeup and straightened your hair. You couldn't help but notice Chase, looking extremely pale, sitting on the bed, dressed to go.

"Are you sure you want to go? You look like you're going to be sick."

"I'm fine, Zo. I swear."

You shake your head to yourself. You don't know why he's so insistent on going, being that he looks like he has the flu, but you decide it is better just to pretend he's alright, rather than argue with him.

He was silent for the whole car ride, and you were starting to worry.

Before dinner, Logan had everyone - you and Chase, Lola, Michael and Hana, Lisa and her boyfriend Alex, Dustin, and Quinn, gather in the living room area. Michael had pulled Chase out of the room for a minute, to your confusion, but you ignored it and went to catch up with Lola and Quinn. Finally, they returned, and Michael stood on a chair and spoke.

"Listen up, people. Chase has to say something." He stepped down from the chair and stood beside Lola.

Chase, still looking sick, began to speak. "Hello, everyone." He took a deep breath. "As most of you already know, twelve years ago as of this September, my life was completely changed. And in case you don't know, it will mark twelve years since I met the love of my life." He looked at you with those eyes, the eyes that make you melt.

He continued. "In case you don't know the story, we were in eighth grade, and it was the first year that PCA started letting girls in. I was riding my bike when I saw the most beautiful girl on the entire planet. And I crashed my bike into a flagpole. I literally fell for her. Actually, I honestly should be apologizing to Michael, because from that moment on, I annoyed the hell out of him, talking about her. A little crush turned into love, which then turned into head-over-heels-in-love. I even followed her five thousand miles to another continent."

He was still shaking, but his face was beginning to regain its colour. "I screwed up. A lot. But somehow, she took me back each and every time. We started dating at the end of tenth grade, and I could not imagine life without her. I lived for three years in New York by myself, and I would never go back to a life where she wasn't there."

You feel yourself tearing up a little bit, and you get butterflies in your stomach because you get the sense that you know where this is going.

"She has seen be at my best, and she has seen me completely unravel. Through up and down. And I love her, so, so much."

He turned to look at you, taking your hands.

"Zoey." He took a deep breath. "I am so in love with you. I want to spend every single day of my life with you. I love you with all of my heart and more. And so I ask."

He slid down onto one knee. Tears fall from your eyes, and he still holds one of your hands; the other is covering your mouth.

"Zoey Brooks. Will you marry me?"

You're so in shock that you can't speak, so you just nod. He stands up and hugs you around the waist, lifting you up and spinning you around. You can see tears in his eyes as well. He slides a ring onto your finger, and as soon as you look up, his lips are on your own. You faintly hear cheering in the background, but you don't pay attention, because all you see is Chase and nothing else.

This was the new beginning you were searching for. And it feels so good.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**I wanted Zoey to have some reflection time, so that is my explanation for the beginning. I was getting so into it, though, that I think some of my own personality has begun to creep into Zoey's. Also, all of my writing has occurred between the hours of 11pm and 3am, so I'm sorry if any of my facts are wrong. Insomniac here.**

**I also was going to leave this as a cliffhanger and have her say no, but that would be cruel. **

**I'm torn. Do you guys want me to write more chapters? Or would you rather just an epilogue? REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW!**

**The last several days have been a challenge for me. Everything I write has turned out like shit. I tried reading some old Zoey fanfiction, but there are so many God-awful fics that I just got mad and logged off. I'm not a fantastic writer (I don't even consider myself a writer), and I understand if you're new. But seriously people, just use proper spelling and grammar. It makes everyone's lives better. There are some AMAZING fics out there though, so please respect those who dedicate a lot of time to this website, and review their stories. **

**Anyways, please ****REVIEW****. Should I write several more chapters or just an epilogue? You decide.**

**It's 2:30 am, so I'll do a proper edit when I'm more awake.**

**-Sarah**


	5. Reminisce

**A/N: REVIEW! Next chapter is going to be HUGE. This chapter is a bunch of little snippets leading up to the big day (hint, hint). **

* * *

><p>"<em>I don't just miss her. I'm in love with her. I've been in love with Zoey ever since I met her. When she got out of her dad's car, and I saw her standing there, and I rode my bike into that stupid flagpole. I was in love with Zoey before I hit the ground. I don't think that feeling's ever going to go away."<em>

_Your finger hovered over the disconnect button, and you try to work up enough nerve to do it as you watch Chase lay back on the floor and cover his face with his hands._

"_I'm really sorry she left, man." You heard Michael say._

"_It's all my fault. I should have just told her." He stood up and started pacing. "Why am I such an IDIOT?"_

_You want to hit disconnect, but your brain seems detached from the rest of your body. You can't comprehend that Chase, your best friend in the whole world, is in love with you. You believe it, but it hasn't sunk in yet, and you're beyond shocked,_

"_Dude, don't beat yourself up. Just call her and tell her, maybe she'll change her mind and come back?"_

_Chase shook his head. "She said she was staying there. I asked her when she'd be back and she's not coming back. There's no point." _

_Finally you hit disconnect, and as the screen goes black you feel a tear sliding down your cheek. You shouldn't have said that you wouldn't come back. You want him to know you heard, and you don't want to see him hurt anymore._

_You don't know how you feel about him. You know that you feel closer to him than any other person, and you know that, even though you swear that it's okay, you really hate when he dates other girls. You know that you miss him so, so much. And even though he didn't even tell you goodbye, you can't be mad at him because now you know. You know why he didn't. _

_You don't sleep at all that night, and you call your parents first thing in the morning._

_You decide that, even though you never really had thought of Chase that way, you were oblivious to his feelings, so you might have been oblivious to your own. You want to know if you do in fact love him back, and you can't leave him alone like that. _

_You decide to come back, and three weeks later as you board the plane destined for California, you get a sense of hope in your stomach, a feeling that things are changing for the better, and you can't wait to see him._

Two weeks after Chase's proposal, the last of your belongings are moved into his place. You made your final rent payment, and handed in your keys, and you left your little house forever.

You weren't saddened by this, because living at Chase felt like you were home for the first time since you left PCA, and you conclude that he is the cause of those feelings.

You roll over and glance at the clock. It's Saturday morning, and for once, Chase is out of bed before you. You grab a sweater off the floor, brush your teeth, and slowly make your way downstairs.

Chase, still in his pajamas, stood there cooking breakfast. He's not a morning person, so you have to question this.

"Good morning?" You say, confused.

He turned, wrapped his arms around your waist and kissed you enthusiastically.

"What's all of this?" You ask as he walks you over to his (your) kitchen table, and puts a plate in front of you.

He sits down across from you, placing a bowl of green grapes in the centre.

"I woke up in the middle of the night and you were cuddled into me, and I remembered something at that moment." His eyes are wide with enthusiasm, a look he used to get a lot when you had first started dating, almost nine years previously.

"And that would be?"

"I remember a time where I would go to drastic lengths to make sure you never found out that I loved you. I realize, now, how stupid that was. I'm so lucky to have you, and I needed to show you." He grinned.

You blush, "It was really stupid to hide that from me, I'm not going to lie. But look where we are now." You say, smiling back at him. "Oh, and good touch with the grapes."

"As long as they don't get thrown at my head."

"No promises."

You stand up and walk around the table and sit on his lap, wrapping your arms around his neck, and you kiss him.

* * *

><p>The following months proved to be a challenge, testing the boundaries of your relationship. Your parents had warned you repeatedly that the first year of living together, and the first year of marriage were the hardest, but it's worth it.<p>

You found yourself arguing with him over the smallest things, and it didn't take much for the two of you to go at it. You started to believe your parents, and wished desperately for this stage of your relationship to be over.

You never stayed mad at him, though, and no matter what, you always made up before you went to sleep.

* * *

><p>"Please tell me that you're going to be responsible tonight". You sit on the bed, watching him get dressed to go to Michael's bachelor party, hosted by Logan. "You're the best man tomorrow and you can't be hung over. Seriously, Chase."<p>

"I promise. I'm not going through that hell again." He kissed you on top of the head.

"You better not."

"I'll be okay, Zoey. I'll call you if I need you to come get me."

Hana had her bachelorette party had been the previous weekend, a small event that was typical of Hana.

"I know. I'll relax."

He kisses you one more time, and you hear a horn in your driveway, indicating that Michael was here to pick him up.

"No strippers!" You yell down the stairs, and you hear him laugh as he leaves.

* * *

><p>He had come home early and surprisingly completely sober.<p>

"What happened?" You say, looking up from your report that you had decided to get a head start on.

"Nothing. Logan was calling strippers over so I left.

You felt a pang of guilt. "Chase, I hope you didn't leave because of me."

"Well, yeah. But not because of what you said." He sat down and wrapped an arm around your waist. "I had no interest in any of that. And honestly, I just wanted to come home to be with you."

"You didn't even drink?"

"Nah. Wasn't feeling up to it so I faked until Logan was hammered."

"I'm impressed. Well, I'm glad you're home." You tilted your head up and started kissing his neck. Getting the hint, he kisses your lips, and pulls himself up so he's hovering over top of you.

"Right here?" He mumbles, his mouth not moving from yours.

"Please." You whisper back.

* * *

><p>Michael's wedding was small but loud. You had been to a few weddings, but Michael's was definitely the most fun. His entire family from Georgia had come. Chase's best man speech was both hilarious and intimate, and almost the entire room was in tears, either from laughter or the alternative.<p>

You had laughed, cried, eaten, and danced. It was a night to remember, and thinking about the engagement ring situated on your own finger, you only hoped that your wedding would be at least half as fun as Michael's had been. He looked so happy with her, and while Chase recounted stories about him getting his zipper caught in Jet X's, or running across campus in a bikini top, Mike never took his eyes off of her. Not once.

James had showed up at the wedding, holding hands with a pretty red headed woman.

"Zoey!"

You smiled. This should feel awkward, but it doesn't. You're happily with Chase, and he appears to be in a relationship as well.

"James!" He hugged you. "How are you?"

"I'm fantastic. This is Rachel, my girlfriend. Rachel, this is Zoey. We went to high school together."

She smiled at you.

"It's nice to meet you." You said, smiling genuinely. He noticed this and glanced down at your hand.

"Is that a ring I see on your finger?"

"It is." You smiled again.

"And who's the lucky guy? Or is it obvious?"

You laughed. "Obvious."

"I should have known. Chase?"

You nod.

"_You are being way too casual about this. One of the hottest guys at PCA just gave you a necklace AND told you he loves you at the same time!"_

_Trying to avoid the topic you grab a bottle of blic and pretend to be more interested in it than you should be. "They make apple berry blix now? Apples aren't berries."_

"_What's with you?"_

"_Don't you love James back?"_

_You shrug. "Yeah, I think."_

"_I know what's going on here."_

"_Do you."_

"_You're in 'I Love You Shock."_

_You roll your eyes and ignore them. You know you're not in shock and you know you don't love James back. You just don't know why. _

_Until a certain bushy haired boy showed up, that is._

"Well it was nice seeing you again."

"You too."

You walk away as a new song starts, and you feel a familiar set of hands around your waist.

You turn to look at him. "Where've you been?"

"Michael's grandma saw me. That lady doesn't stop talking."

You wrap your arms around his neck, and he holds your hips, and you sway back and forth.

You look into his eyes, and you stay like that, at peace, for what feels like an eternity. You could have stayed like that forever.

"I can't believe we're next." You say after a while.

"I know. It's crazy, but I can't wait."

You rest your head on his shoulder and he pulls you tighter.

* * *

><p>The date was set for September fifth. You suddenly found yourself immersed in wedding planning, with the help of your mom and Lola. Chase's mom had spent hours on the phone with your own mother, and the two of them had suddenly become best friends.<p>

Normally you would have designed your own dress, but with all of the other tasks you were faced with, you found your perfect dress in a bridal shop. Your bridesmaids were to wear pale green, to match Chase's eyes. Lola was your maid of honour.

"_Brown eyes are a dominant trait. Green eyes are a recessive trait. If we were to get married and have a baby, there's a seventy five percent chance that it'll have brown eyes, and a twenty five percent chance it'll have green eyes."_

"_Are you asking me to marry you?" He joked._

"_Let's be serious here." You replied, rolling your eyes._

_Little did you know that one day, he would be asking you._

Lola was hosting your bachelorette at her apartment. You had requested that there be as little drinking as possible, as you _really _didn't want a hangover on your wedding day. You were to sleep over in her guest room that night so that Chase couldn't see you the day of. You didn't really believe in that superstition, but your mom and all of your friends had insisted.

After all of your friends had left, you sat on the couch next to Lola.

"Can I say something?" She turned to you with a sly look on her face.

"Um sure?"

"I told you so." She looked smug.

"What do you mean?"

"I TOLD you that Chase was in love with you. And you didn't believe me. And now look where you are, about to become Mrs. Chase Matthews tomorrow."

You laugh. "Well in my defense, he did have a girlfriend at the time."

"You still had him whipped."

"No." You thought for a second. "Well, maybe a little."

The two of you laughed.

"I really don't think it's necessary for me to stay here all night. Can't I sleep at home?"

"Nope. Not a chance. Chase isn't allowed to see you or talk to you until you're at the altar. No buts."

"Lola, please." You pleaded.

"No arguing. It's bad luck. You can have him all to yourself for the rest of your life starting tomorrow."

You glanced at your phone.

"Oh and don't even think about texting him. Michael took his phone away and we told Chase that if he tried calling you that we'd have Quinn remove his balls."

"Seems a little harsh there."

"It's for his own good. Now it's time for bed. You need your beauty sleep."

You climbed into the bed in her guest room, wide awake. You know that you won't be sleeping tonight, and memories of Chase are flooding your mind, preventing your brain from resting.

* * *

><p><em>As your dad pulls into campus, you look around in awe. You can't grasp the fact that this was going to be your school for the next five years. It just looked incredible.<em>

"_I'm going to go see where your dorm is. Dustin, start unpacking the car." He said, walking towards the administration building._

"_Hey." A boy about your age had said. He was riding a bike towards you._

"_Hey." You replied with a little wave._

_He was staring at you, and right in front of your eyes, he crashed his bike into a flagpole._

_You ran up to him, concerned. "Are you okay?"_

_He stood up, the flag now wrapped around his shoulders. He pulled it off. "Yeah, I was just checking the flag. It's a flag." _

"_Um, I think your arm is bleeding."_

_He looked at his arm. "Oh, yeah. Sorry that's what happens when um, when I get wounded." _

_You laughed. "I'm Zoey."_

"_Chase." He said. "So are you like a new student here at PCA? Well I guess that was a stupid question, I mean why else would you be here. Unless you were like dropping someone off. You know what, I'll bleed, you talk. What's up?" He rambled on. You found it funny, actually._

"_Um, nothing much. And yeah, I'm a new student here."_

"_Cool. I think it's cool that PCA is finally letting in girls. And you probably do to, being a girl and all. No offense!"_

"_It's okay, I'm used to it. Been a girl my whole life." You joked._

_He was cute, in a dorky kind of way, and from the start you knew that you and Chase would be good friends. _

"_Okay, I got a map. You're dorm is Butler Hall but I'm not sure…..Hello." Your dad said, returning, and staring at the boy standing in front of you._

"_Dad, this is Chase. Chase, this is my dad."_

"_Nice to meet you…Sir…You know, I pass by Butler on the way to my dorm if you wanted me to, um, walk you there."_

_He raised an eyebrow at you, and you gave your dad a look._

"_Haha, no that's ok-" He stopped, seeing your face. "Sure, that'll be great. I'll just drop Dustin off at his dorm then."_

"_Um, I'll just turn around."_

You remember meeting him very clearly. The clumsy boy who had rode his bike into a flagpole had stolen your heart, and you couldn't have asked for a better boy, now a man, in your life.

"_Hey I got an idea."_

"_Talk." You say, popping a grape into your mouth._

"_Why don't you and I hang out tonight?"_

"_You and me?"_

"_Me and you. We could play foosball. Do girls like foosball? Because if you don't we could like knit or"_

"_I like foosball."_

"_Yeah foosball's cool."_

He was so dorky, so awkward when you first met. As you got older and more comfortable around each other, he was still dorky, but you wouldn't have had it any other way.

"_Can I talk to you?"_

"_Um I don't think that's the best-"_

"_I need to talk to you." He walked around the sofa and sat next to you. "Rebecca has a big problem with you and me being friends."_

"_I know."_

"_She said….wait, you know?"_

"_She came to my room and told me to stay away from you."_

"_Yeah, she sort of said the same thing to me this afternoon."_

"_Did you explain to her that we're just friends?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_And?"_

"_She said that if I want her to be my girlfriend that I can't hang out with you anymore or talk to you."_

_You see the sad look in his eyes, and although you feel betrayed, hurt, you can't blame him. You're just his friend, and you want him to be happy._

"_Look I get it. The most important thing to me is that...is that you're happy."_

"_Me too."_

_You looked away so you don't cry. You want to cry, but you know you can't. _

_You could see him look up from the corner of your eye. "So I dumped her."_

He chose you over his girlfriend. At that moment, you realized what a great person he really was, and the two of you were closer than ever before after that. You hadn't ended the school year on the greatest terms, but it was nice to have him back as your best friend.

You remember how you had felt when you discovered Chase's girlfriend.

"_Chase is not in love with me!"_

"_Fine, he's not in love with you." Her roommates exchanged glances. "But he is! So in love."_

"_Okay, that's it! If you guys are so convinced that he's in love with me, I'm going to go ask him."_

"_Zoey! You can't just ask him. You have to let him tell you when he's ready."_

"_Nope, I'm going to go ask him, point blank." And you left your dorm and set out for the guy's dorm, Maxwell Hall._

_You didn't want to believe that he was in love with you, because part of you wishes it were true, and you don't want to get your hopes up. Getting your hopes up leads to disappointment._

_He couldn't be in love with you. He's your best friend. He would have said something by now._

_You found his room and enter, not bothering to knock. "Chase, I gotta – "_

_What you were not prepared for was what you saw. Chase, lips locked to a petite brunette girl, a girl she had never seen before. _

_Something hit you, hard. You felt as if someone had stabbed you in the back, and you shouldn't, and you don't understand why, but you feel like crying and curing up in a ball._

_The look on Chase's face must have reflected your feelings, shocked and hurt._

"_I'm sorry." You stuttered._

"_Zoey, this is Rebecca. My girlfriend." He had an arm around her, and she gave a little wave._

"_Nice to meet you." You gave Chase one more look. "I'm just going to go."_

_You turned and walked out, closing the door behind you. You could feel tears welling up, pointless, confused tears, but you wiped them away. You decide that it's best not to go back to your dorm quite yet, so you buy a slushie and go for a walk._

_You're mad at yourself for having the delusion that he would like you. Your common sense was right. He liked you, as a friend, and that's all._

_As you walk back into your dorm, Quinn and Lola swarm you, hopeful looks in their eyes._

"_What happened?"_

"_Did you ask him?"_

_You sat down on the sofa. "Nope, it was unnecessary."_

"_What?" Lola's eyes widened. "Did he tell you himself?"_

"_No, but I did meet his girlfriend."_

"_WHAT?" They both exclaimed._

"_I walked in and he was full out kissing some girl. She had her arms around him and everything."_

"_Chase?"_

"_Yup."_

"_You're sure?"_

"_Oh yeah, they were kissing."_

"_You're one hundred percent sure they were kissing?"_

"_Either that or Chase was trying to suck the teeth out of her mouth."_

"_What happened next?"_

"_They stopped kissing, and he said 'This is Rebecca, my girlfriend.'"_

"_Unbelievable." Lola said._

"_What's unbelievable?"_

"_That Chase would get a girlfriend."_

"_You asked him out last year." You retorted._

"_True, but it was so obvious that he liked you, not me. I moved on fast."_

"_Well you were wrong. I told you."_

You had forgotten that Chase was a teenage boy, and would date girls. You didn't think of the possibility that other girls might have an interest in him. He had always been your best friend, but you realized that day that there was much more to him, possibly, that you didn't know about.

"_I heard you say that you're in love with me."_

_His eyes widened on the screen. "Oh." He looked away. "That's, uh, pretty specific._

"_Yup."_

"_And that's why you went back to PCA?"_

"_That's why."_

"_Can you just hold for one second?"_

"_Sure."_

_He disconnected, and you took a deep breath, preparing yourself for the conversation that you know is coming._

"_I'm back."_

"_Hey."_

_He sighed. "So you heard me say that I'm in love with you." _

_It made it seem all too real, now that he had officially said it out loud._

"_Yeah." You tried to smile._

"_Which leads us to a very interesting question."_

"_Which is?"_

"_Are you in love with me?"_

_You stayed silent, thinking it over. Yeah, you definitely could be in love with him, but you didn't know for sure, because you weren't with him. Feelings change when you're actually with someone, not just talking over a webcam._

"_Feel free to say something before I throw up."_

_You shrugged. "Maybe, I came back here to find out. I think I could be."_

"_I will take that!" He exclaimed._

_You don't know how you never noticed this about him, but you liked it, knowing the truth._

_You laughed. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"_

"_Because I'm very, very stupid. So now what?"_

"_Transfer back to PCA."_

_He closed his eyes. "I can't." You watched him stand up and lean over his chair. "I had to beg my parents to let me do this and they finally said yes just to get me to shut up. And they made me promise that I'd stay here for at least a full semester."_

"_You're sure they wouldn't?"_

"_I'm sure."_

"_Then I guess we'll have to wait." _

"_No. I've waited for two and a half years. I'm dating you. Right now."_

_You smile, because you like this side of him. "How can we date when we're in different countries and can't be together?" _

"_I don't know."_

"_I guess the only solution would to have video chat dates?"_

"_I guess so. "_

"_I'm sorry, Chase. I should have told you that I was coming back."_

"_Hey, it's not your fault. I got myself into this mess. I guess this is sort of payback for being an idiot."_

"_It's a really nice school, if that makes you feel any better. Tabitha, my old roommate, is really nice. Make friends with her."_

"_Yeah."_

"_Chase?"_

"_Mhm?"_

"_I can't believe that you flew all the way across the world to be with me."_

"_I know. I'm an idiot."_

_You shake your head. "No. You are absolutely amazing. I really couldn't have asked for a better guy to have in my life."_

"_Really?"_

"_Yeah and I wish you were here or I was there so I could hug you."_

"_Sorry."_

"_So our date?"_

"_What about it?"_

"_How does Friday sound?"_

"_Sounds good, Zo." And he smiled._

"_I'm gonna let you go, I'm sure you have unpacking to do, and I can hear Quinn and Lola pressing their ears to the door."_

"_Yeah, it's getting late here."_

"_I'll IM you tomorrow, okay?"_

"_Okay. Bye." _

_And he disconnected._

That date had ended up being a disaster, but he told you he loved you for the first time, and you said it back, slightly uncertain, but it was truthful.

"_I love you Zoey."_

"_Now was that so hard to say to my face?"_

"_It was easy."_

"_Good. I love you too."_

"_Talk to you later."_

"_Goodnight."_

But in truth, they didn't talk later. You didn't call him, and he didn't call you. It was just easier to not, rather than to talk and end up missing each other even more.

Finally, your eyes began to droop, and you fell asleep, still thinking of him, and of tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**13 PAGES ON WORD. OH MY GOD.**

**I wanted to make this chapter more about the building of their relationship, how it went from innocent thirteen year old crushes, to heartbreak, to rebuilding. **

**Come on, we ALL knew that Zoey must have had (even the slightest) hope that Chase would say that he loved her during 'Surprise'. Why else would she be so upset?**

**It's 3:30 in the afternoon, and I've been writing this for what feels like forever. I'm going to start chapter six immediately after posting because I'm in the mood to write. A LOT.**

**Next chapter is going to be HUGE. I hope you're ready. **

**Most of the flashbacks I took were from the show, but I added on because sometimes they just ended too quickly.**

**Questions? Comments? REVIEW!**

**Just want to talk? PM me. I don't bite. **

**-Sarah**

**(Also: If you're in the mood for some 'Curse of PCA' aftermath, check out 94. GREAT fic titled **_**Six Friends and a Ghost. **_**You'll have goose bumps. I did.)**


	6. Wedding Bells

**A/N: Sorry about the wait, but here's the update. REVIEW!**

* * *

><p>You could feel your heartbeat in your stomach and in your head, and you could feel your hands shaking. You aren't nervous, but the idea that you are actually marrying your best friend of twelve years hasn't quite hit you yet.<p>

Half of your hair was pulled back in a series of braids and pins, the bottom half hung in loose curls, all kept together with an entire bottle of hairspray. You were paranoid about your hair mussing up or your makeup smudging, but you remind yourself that Chase would still love you if you showed up in your pajamas.

Part of you was excited, another part anxious to see the look on his face as you walked down the aisle.

You can hear your bridesmaids lining up, but this doesn't register in your brain.

"You ready?" You hear your father say, placing a hand on your shoulder.

You turned to look at him and smile, "Yes, dad. Let's go."

You watch as each of your bridesmaids walks down the aisle, meeting with one of Chase's groomsmen. Finally, Lola walks down, linking arms with Michael, the best man, and you realize that it's your turn.

You turn down the aisle and see _him _for the first time, and the look on his face, in his eyes, says it all. His jaw dropped ever so slightly before he contained himself, and smiled ear to ear.

As you reached the altar, your dad gave your hand to Chase, kissing you on the cheek, whispering, "I love you," in your ear. Chase's eyes haven't left your face since you walked in, and he didn't even try to hide it.

"You look incredible," You say to him. He was wearing the traditional black and white, and had managed to get his typically untidy hair to lay neatly for once, and he did look amazing.

"No," He replied, his eyes dazed. "You look….wow." He was at a loss for words, making you blush beet red.

The ceremony was short, and you had decided to use the traditional vows, rather than writing your own, as both of you had planned on speaking at your reception in a more intimate manner.

You exchanged rings and 'I do's' when finally the time came.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Every single happy memory of him came racing back into your mind, flooding your every thought, and you were filled with this sense of euphoria as it finally sunk in that he, Chase Matthews, was now _yours _for the rest of your life.

You could feel tears starting to form in your eyes, and you saw a glimmer in his that made your heart melt into a puddle, because you know for certain that he loves you with his entire heart and more.

You didn't notice anyone or anything else in the room, just his hands softly holding your face, pulling you up into a kiss. You didn't hear the applause, you just felt his lips on your own, felt his hands on your skin, felt your heartbeat going faster than normal. He had to end the kiss because you had no intentions of breaking away, and as you turn to look at the crowd of friends and family – old and new, you smile, because this is the best day of your entire life. Your parents are both crying and Dustin looks like he's choking up as well.

He takes your hand, kissing you once on the forehead, and leads you out into the lobby, where a line has already formed, with people waiting to congratulate the two of you.

You knew Chase's parents, but you hadn't met his older sister of three years, Alison, or any of his extended family. Alison had moved to Miami while Chase was at PCA, and as she was married and had a hectic schedule, it was difficult for her to be able to come to family gatherings. You had seen pictures of her, though, and recognized her face immediately as she approached. She had the same dark hair and green eyes as Chase, but her completion was darker than his fair skin.

"Can't believe my little brother just got married." She said, giving him a long hug. "Shouldn't you still be digging in mud and falling over things?"

He laughed, "Well I'm still falling, but no, no more mud."

She turned to look at you, a warm expression on her face as she gave you a hug as well. "Welcome to our family, Zoey. Hopefully I'll be around more often."

Chase was the one that answered. "Yeah, so you can harass me with insults?"

She smiled. "Of course." She turned to you. "Seriously, though. I'd like to get to know you. Anyone that can get my little brother to fly across the world is worth knowing."

You blush slightly, smiling. "Good to know. It's nice meeting you too."

"Well I should let other people through. I'll talk to you later."

She walked away and you felt him wrap an arm around your waist. "Words do not describe how amazing you look right now."

You tilted your head up to him. "I can say the same for you."

He grinned, giving you a peck on the forehead, and then turning to welcome the lineup that had formed in front of you, waiting to give you their congratulations.

Your entire family from Louisiana had driven up for the wedding, and you miss the times that had been spent in the country, laughing and arguing like families do, but you couldn't be more grateful for your life in California. When your parents had moved back from England during your junior year at PCA, they moved permanently to California, a thirty minute drive from PCA so they could see you and Dustin more often. They had enrolled you in boarding school when PCA began allowing girls in due to the amount of travelling your dad's job required, but that didn't stop them from wishing that you were around more often. Chase's parents lived in Boston, his mother a surgeon and father a defence attorney. His mother had lived in Baltimore until she was in college and her parents still resided there. His father grew up in Boston and attended PCA from sixth grade onwards, like Chase. Much of his family had attended, and he, like you, came from a large family. You had met his parents on several occasions and you had grown to love them as family, while Chase saw your parents almost as often as you saw them yourself.

As Chase's parents approached you, nearing the end of the line, you saw his mother wiping tears from her eyes, a vaguely Chase-like smile on her face, and his father just smiled. Both gave each of you a hug. "I can't believe that this is happening. I mean, I knew it would, but it doesn't seem real." His mom, Julie, said to him, wiping more tears away. "And you, Zoey. You look gorgeous. I couldn't be happier for the two of you."

"Mom, don't cry." Chase said, holding her hand.

"I know, I'm being silly." She said with a laugh.

His father, Rob, spoke up. "We'll be around more often. We've been looking at cottages around here, since we're both close to retiring. We want to see you two more."

"Really?" Chase's face lit up. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Nothing's settled yet but we're hoping to by Christmas time. We've decided that we need to see you more, since you've completely grown up right under our noses." Julie said.

"Well we won't bug you anymore. Congratulations." His father said with a smile, giving both him and you another hug, and pulling his wife away.

You hugged, kissed, cried, and laughed with the remaining friends and family left to greet you. When your own parents showed up, your mother cried while your father stood by, not saying much.

When the limo (courtesy of Malcolm Reese) arrived to take you and your party to the country club where the reception was taking place, the butterflies in your stomach took flight again, muting your ability to speak.

The palm trees surrounding the entrance were decorated with twinkle lights, and the ball room was decorated in white and pale pink, chosen by Lola. You barely heard the applause when you entered, hand in hand with your new husband. You just looked up at his face, and you were sure that his shocked expression matched yours. You took your place at the head table and the events of the night began.

Your first dance as a married couple was something that you were both excited for, and nervous, due to Chase's lack of coordination and inability to find any sort of rhythm. You were completely unprepared for what did happen though, when he took your hand and with a very non-Chase-like grace, spun you around. You danced to _All You Need is Love, _because it was one of his favourite songs in the entire universe, and it suited your relationship very well.

You looked him in the eyes and you could feel your heart melt, the queasy feeling in your stomach disappear, and all you saw was him and the forever that you were just beginning.

"I wish I could go back in time and tell my thirteen year old self to settle down." He said with a laugh.

You smiled back at him. "I never would had imagined ten years ago that this day would be happening. But I'm so lucky that it's you. It's always been you."

This time, you wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled yourself up to meet his lips. He leaned down, and thanks to the heels that Lola forced you into, you didn't have to make up much to close the six inch difference in your height. His lips seemed to respond to yours in the best way ever, his hands wrapped around your waist, pulling you closer. You didn't care that the entire room was watching you, because all you care about is him and you. Zoey and Chase. Chase and Zoey.

You could hear the song coming to a close when you finally pulled away, and he twirled you around one more time, cueing another round of applause.

You pecked him on the cheek and you feel another set of arms on your shoulders, a familiar set, and your dad takes your hands in his own for the next dance. He was always known to be a good dancer, but you couldn't help but notice the shakiness in his hands, the sad look in his eyes.

"You okay, dad?" You say, your reputation of being protective and concerning proving to be true once again.

"I'm fine. Just fine." He replies with a sad smile. "I knew this day would happen eventually. It's just, you've always been my little girl and I know how independent you've always been."

You smile at him because it was technically his duty as a father to be upset over his daughter growing up, but you know he'll get over it.

"Well, if you had to get married, I'm glad it's Chase. There was something about the way he looked at you when I dropped you off at PCA for the first time, which every father wishes for his daughter, but secretly dreads at the same time."

_You couldn't wrap your thirteen year old head around the fact that this place, with the swimming pools and tennis courts and the beach across the street, was going to be your school for the next five years, and you couldn't be more excited._

"_First day at a new school, living on your own. It's okay to be nervous." Your father says, looking at you._

"_I'm not nervous." You shake your head. Sometimes he forgets that you're not five years old anymore. You're a teenager now and you're ready to do things on your own._

"_Yeah I was talking to me." He said._

"I understand, but you know I'll always be your little girl. Don't think I'm just going to disappear."

"I know. Just being a concerned father. That's all."

.

.

.

.

.

The night was everything you had ever wished for and more. You had danced with almost every one of your friends and family, laughing and crying, and part of you wished that the night would never end. It was nice, having all of your old PCA friends together, laughing just like old times. Lately, everyone had been so busy and getting together and reuniting the gang had been challenging. Lola's acting career had taken off and Quinn had earned her Ph.D., and Michael and Hana were having some typical first-year-of-marriage struggles. Chase's novel was finished and had been submitted to several publishers, and he had also been hired full-time by the local newspaper as a columnist. Everyone stayed the same, and though you couldn't see each other as often, when you were together things felt right.

When it came time for Michael to make his best man's speech, Chase buried his face in his hands, looking up through the spaces between his fingers.

"Oh come on, Chase. He's really not going to embarrass you that badly."

He gave you a look. "I obsessed over you for nearly three years, and Michael's slightly intoxicated. Just please don't kill me after."

You had to wonder what Michael would say that was so humiliating to Chase.

"Good evening ladies, gents, and Logan." Michael began, giving Logan a smirk, cueing Logan to throw a straw at him. "We're all here today because of the two lovely people sitting at the table to my right. Chase Matthews is the best friend that I could, or anyone for that matter, could ask for. But yes, he is MY best friend. Mine. And yes, Zoey, that was directed to you."

You rolled your eyes, thinking back to all of the times Michael would lecture you about 'Hogging Chase' once the two of you had started dating.

You look up as Michael wipes his eyes. "It has been a very emotional day - as some of you must have noticed that even the cake is in tiers."

"You're not funny!" Logan shouted out.

"Oh, but I am young Logan. Anyways, back to my point. If any of you know Chase and Zoey for as long as I have, you would know that Chase has been in love with Zoey since he rode his bike into a flag pole at the ripe age of thirteen. And ever since then, he has annoyed the shit out of us. Like, he was so desperate. He obsessed over her, and she had no idea. It went on for three years before they finally got together. Three whole years of listening to that boy complain. I was going to lose my mind."

Chase blushed and you took his hand.

"He tried to tell her a few times, and one time he bought her a rose and chickened out, but it went on. And on. And on. And on. The kid couldn't catch a break. One time, in ninth grade I think it was, we made a time capsule."

"Fuck." Chase mumbled under his breath. "Here it goes."

"Zoey made a video talking about her life at PCA, and she talked about him in the video, and made the very grave mistake of telling him. And he wouldn't shut up about it. He wouldn't rest until he found out what that goddamned video said. He even dreamed about it, and almost murdered me when I woke him up one time. It was pouring rain out, and he dragged me outside to dig up the time capsule so he could watch it. At two o'clock in the morning. He was out of his freaking mind."

You inhaled sharply and watched as Chase's face blushed scarlet and he wouldn't catch your eye. You weren't mad, not at all. You might have been at the time, but not now.

"But here's the best part. He started watching, and not five seconds in decided that it was wrong to watch it, so he dragged me back outside to dig up the time capsule AGAIN and rebury that fucking DVD. Idiot."

You leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, because even though he made some idiotic decisions as a teenager, Chase was a genuinely good person, and you loved him for it.

"Zoey found out that Chase loved her by accident. She had moved to England, and she overheard him profess his love over a webcam that had been turned on accidentally. He even followed her out to England, and although she had moved back at the same time, four long months later, they started dating. And that brings us to today." He turned to face the two of you, all goofiness melting away. "So I propose a toast, to Zoey and Chase Matthews, the best friends I could ever ask for. I love you both."

And everyone drank.

The rest of the night went off without a hitch, even when a blushing Chase removed your garter with his teeth while heckled by Mike and Logan.

At the end, before the two of you were to set out, you pulled him in and kissed him in the middle of the room. Everyone cheered, but once again you only noticed his lips on your own. You were taken away in a Limo to a hotel off the coast, where you were to spend the night before leaving on your honeymoon. Lola and Quinn had delivered your suitcases prior, and were to come in the morning to collect your dress. The limo arrived, and you were pelted with rice, using Chase as a shield, and you were off.

The hotel was only twenty minutes away, and you were filled with a sense of euphoria and nerves. You had been living with him for nearly a year, but things felt different, in a good way, and you were excited to start the next chapter of your life.

You entered the hotel and he led you down the hall, lifting you up in the elevator and carrying you to your room. The room was small, mostly dominated by the large bed in the centre. Lola had booked the room with the best intentions, and you made a mental note to thank her later.

You pulled the pins out of your hair, letting it hang in curls. It was hard from the hairspray, but that was the last of your concerns. He walked towards you, and you undid his tie, unbuttoning his shirt, and he reached behind you and helped undo your dress. It took a while, but the anticipation was worth it.

He leaned down and started kissing your neck, slowly, working his way across your collarbone and down your chest. You wrapped your arms around him and he spun around, pushing you onto the bed and climbing over you.

.

.

.

.

.

With one final thrust, he collapsed, every line of his body pressing against your own. He held himself up enough that he wasn't crushing you, but you could feel his closeness and you smiled at the feeling.

"Wow." He said simply, finally rolling over but intertwining his leg with your own and draping an arm across your chest.

You turned to look him in the eyes. You didn't care about how messed up your hair was or the fact that your makeup was smudged in weird places. He looked at you as if you were the most beautiful woman on the planet, and he certainly made you feel that way.

"I love you." He said, moving his hand to stroke your face.

You smiled. "Now was that so hard to say to my face?" You said, remembering the first time he ever told you.

He laughed. "It was easy."

"I love you so much Chase Matthews."

"And I love you too, Zoey Brooks. Or I guess I should say, Zoey _Matthews._"

"I like the sound of that."

"I do too." He said, and he kissed you one more time, before pulling up the covers and wrapping his arms around you. You fell asleep with your head on his shoulder, dreaming of nothing that night.

Because in reality, you had everything you could ever dream about.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**So FINALLY, here's the long awaited update. I'm sorry it took me three weeks. I just wanted it to be good. I rewrote this a few times, because I didn't want to disappoint anyone. Hopefully this lives up to expectations.  
><strong>

**Between school and having surgery, it was almost impossible to buckle down and write. I know that this was just a typical, cheesy wedding story, and iI didn't want it to be, but it's building up to something bigger.**

**I really like the direction in which this story is going, and I have ideas for the next two chapters, so hang on. I have finals this week so don't expect an update. Maybe the week after. **

**I left some things open because 1) use your own imagination and 2) I didn't want to rate this as M because nobody would read it. **

**Next chapter, expect drama. **

**It's 12 AM so I'm going to get to sleep. Please leave reviews! I want FEEDBACK. Give me what you liked/didn't like. I hope I was able to get into Michael's character enough.**

**And as always, PM me if you have any questions/comments/statements etc. I like talking to you guys.**

**-Sarah**

**PS. And about the cheesy best man jokes – I found them online, and from weddings I've gone to. Michael has a childlike sense of humor so I had to include it.**


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